Cricket: Ramprakash stays the pace

Surrey 585 Middlesex 284 & 499-5 Match drawn

MIDDLESEX HAVE been reading the papers. They batted through the last day, the inspiration coming from Mark Ramprakash's third double- century against Surrey, with the resolution that has been missing from their cricket for far too long.

While Middlesex took advantage of the flat, slow pitch, the relative pointlessness of it all had an effect too. Surrey were already the champions and Middlesex doomed to start the next century in the Second Division of the Championship.

Ramprakash batted seven and three-quarter hours for his unbeaten 209. It will not compensate for missing the South African tour or for the likely loss of the Middlesex captaincy, although the latter may come to suit him for it will leave him free to be the solitary chap that nature apparently intended him to be.

This was an innings which ideally suited the batsman Ramprakash has, to his own detriment, allowed himself to become. Occupation was the requirement and he did the job splendidly, well supported by Richard Kettleborough, Paul Weekes and David Nash.

The bad balls went for runs and there were enough of them. Surrey were not helped by the absence of their opening bowler, Ian Bishop, with a calf injury. They had a glimmer of hope when Owais Shah, who, if he is not careful, is in danger of wasting a considerable talent, was lbw in the day's second over.

Ramprakash and Kettleborough saw the danger pass and added 128 for the fourth wicket before Kettleborough was lbw. The new ball then accounted for Weekes before Nash saw his captain to his 200 and by the end had helped him add 128 for the sixth wicket.